Any Lemoore Navy guys here?
 

Hi all,

I have just purchased a new kick ass 400mm lens for my DSLR and would love to try it out on some fast jets.

Last year I happened to be driving along I-5 when I decided to head towards Lemoore and see if I could get some Hornet pics.

I stumbled across some photographers (amatuers like me) under the approach near the main highway south of the field and stood with them for an hour or so but didnt see a single jet. I think it was a friday from memory.

Is there a particular day of the week where I can expect to see some Hornets in the pattern and maybe even a particular time? Evening would be best with the low light but I am flexible with timing.

any guidance before making the long drive would be awesome,

cheers for now,

Nobody is really going to say, OPSEC.

But active duty works weekdays. Reserves on weekends. Nobody works on federal holidays.

I figured it was a long shot but thanks for taking the time to reply,

cheers

Better to take your lens and camera out to the Panamint valley and the Star Wars canyon overlook. Google it.

And a helmet. And flak jacket. And some sandbags.

So long as he doesn’t speak French and can duck, he’ll be fine.

http://village.photos/images/user/f6...e2725e2fb8.jpg

Turns out Tuesday is rather busy at Lemoore and totally worth the drive. Much entertainment.

"Better to take your lens and camera out to the Panamint valley and the Star Wars canyon overlook. Google it."

I hope to make it there one day but that will require a much bigger lens. And some more practice.....

Been years since I went through ALQ 126 school at Lemoore, I used to enjoy driving the 5 miles from the main side to the flight side of the base.. I think they had a second gate up there, was a nice base, kind of out in the country though coming from NAS Memphis, that was some fun there.

A couple 1st Lieutenants flying an F18

That is a great shot, got to be an awesome job, to be 25 and flying that

Yep I agree, jealous.

Well, now I am confused.

Not sure if anyone here can help but……

I noticed a VFA-86 E model in the pattern with the tail code AG. My memory from when I was a kid building scale models of F-14’s and A-7’s was that an A tail code was east code and an N tail code was west coast.

Is this no longer the case or was this squadron visiting?

Also, VFA-86 was a strike squadron in the past but is now flying the single seat Hornet which I assume to be more of a fighter role.

And VFA-2 was a fighter squadron in the past but is now flying the two seat Hornet which I assume is a strike aircraft?

Does each squadron have a mix of single and two seaters and does each squadron fly the same multi role mission or is there some specialization that occurs?

Cheers and thanks if anyone has the time to answer.

F/A-18

Fighter / Attack

All hornets are dual-role, F and A. Two seaters are probably better at attack (and some F roles), but I'm sure some single seat pilot will be along to explain how the backseater is dead weight on all missions.

The E/A-18 growler is always two-seat, and does electronic warfare/attack only (not based at Lemoore).

Squadrons are dedicated to either single or two-seat, since they will have slightly different mission emphasis.

Two seaters are used for training.

FWIW the A and N letters still meant East and West coast when I retired about 10 years ago. I doubt it’s changed because it’s been that way forever. The second letter, G in this case, designated the specific air wing. I was in CAG 7 (East coast airwing) way back when and that was AG back then.


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thanks for the info folks, cheers

Nice photos

thanks v much